Slow Path
by Why Are You My Clarity
Summary: Cat Valentine has never done anything bad in her life. Never had a boyfriend, never disobeyed her dad, never even cheated on a test. So why is it that she's drawn to bad boy Beck Oliver, drug abuser, gang member, and temperamental jerk? Maybe, opposites really do attract. *Rating may go up.* ON HAITUS
1. Chapter 1

The Slow Path

Chapter one.

* * *

From where he stood, he could see the entire city. _His_ city, in a way. His gang ruled Hollywood, and he was the head of it, so that made him King. There was a certain thrill he felt when young teenagers cringed as he walked past. The high of marijuana and any other drug he could get his hands on. What else _was there_ to life? In his opinion, he had the best of it.

"Mr. Oliver," A deep voice interrupted his thoughts, and he whirled around in anger, only to see his drug dealer. Richie. "I have what you asked for."

"Nice. For a while, I was worried I'd have to have you killed and go to the trouble of finding a new dealer." Beck chuckled darkly, but Richie knew he was as serious as he could possibly be. He wouldn't be the first dealer Beck Oliver hired somebody to kill. The two quickly made the exchange, and both went their separate ways in satisfaction.

Beck returned to his place on the edge of the rooftop; he and his gang had settled on the top of their high school for the night. Not as a sign of rebellion, or to show their distaste in the place, but simply because they didn't feel like going off and finding somewhere else. It was that simple for Beck Oliver. He did what he wanted, whenever he wanted.

In a very different situation a few streets down from Hollywood Arts High School rested the Valentine residence, a small family of four: Mister Joe Valentine, Missus Elaine Valentine, Cat Valentine, and youngest child Frankie Valentine. They had recently moved to the area when Mr. Valentine had been offered the job of Chief of Police. He had eagerly accepted it and moved the family all the way across the country from their cozy life in Florida.

The family sat at the dinner table, unpacked boxes all around them, hot rolls and cold salad set out in front of each chair, "Are you ready for school tomorrow?"

Cat looked up at the sound of her father's sharp tone, and then smiled brightly, "Yes, daddy." She listened to her father not out of respect, or even love. Although she both respected and loved him very much. But, it was simple to her. She listened to him because that's what she had been taught to do her entire life. It was never a matter of what she wanted, or when she wanted it.

Everything had a schedule, and Cat Valentine knew it best.

* * *

Both Beck and Cat arrived at school at 7:22 sharp, eight minutes until the final bell rang signaling the students to class. Except, she entered through door one by the front office, and he entered through door twenty-two by the janitor's closet people often made out in. Cat Valentine felt very late, and fought off the urge to panic. She had always been at school five minutes before it opened, every single year. Each day.

Beck Oliver smiled coolly, proud that he had made the time to come early today. Although he'd never admit it to the rest of his gang, education was important to him. It was the reason he was the head of the gang and made all the decisions regarding who they robbed, who got killed, and which drugs were used when. He was smart.

Both teenagers arrived in their respective classrooms at 7:29, with thirty seconds until the final bell. And although their classes were right next door to one another, fate somehow managed for them to catch not even a glance of each other. Not yet, of course.

You see, Caterina Olivia Valentine and Beckett John Oliver were walking two entirely different paths, yet have always been so close. Fate, however, works in funny ways. Maybe, instead of bringing people together, it brings paths together. No matter how different they may be or how dangerous the outcome may be. Fate just doesn't care about or consider those things.

Cat stepped meekly into her classroom, peeking around at all the new faces that just so happened to be focused on her from their seats, and she remembered why she hates being late. The teacher, Sikowitz, glanced up at her in excitement, "Ah! You must be Caterina Valentine!"

The small girl was frozen in the doorway, but managed to nod back slowly, "I go by Cat."

"Wonderful! I love animals!" Sikowitz beamed widely, and took a sip from his coconut.

Cat gawked in embarrassment, and slight anger, and said something she had never said before in her life, "What's _that _supposed to mean?"

Meanwhile, literally seven feet away, Beck entered his classroom with his arms stretched back behind his head and a yawn stretching out his face. His breath that normally smelled of pot and of marijuana was concealed by four pieces of Trident Winter Mint stick gum, and he sported his usual dark skinny jeans, combat boots, and flannel t-shirt.

All twenty-seven familiar faces focused on him, and he stared irritably back, "What the hell are all of you staring at?"

The teacher, Jones, let out a sigh and dropped her forehead onto the stapler on her desk, "I see Beck Oliver has arrived."

"Miss me?" He smirked, making his way to his usual seat in the back of the classroom with another member of his gang, Andre Harris. Probably the only person in the world Beck would trust with his life. That is, if trust existed.

Now about twenty feet away, Cat Valentine had been almost forgotten by the door, standing there in uncomfortable silence. Until from across the room, a certain gothic girl caught her eye, and Cat was immediately intriqued. The girl had gorgeous, striking, blue eyes and long, jet black hair with pretty blue high lights that seemed to be trying to match her eyes. She wore only black, quite the contrary to Cat's bright, yellow sundress and heels.

"Valentine." The girl called out, her voice sharp. Cat immediately straightened up, and leaned closer in an effort to hear her, "Get over here!" Cat immediately hurried towards the back table, (the exact table Beck would be sitting at, had they been in the same room), now just ten feet away from the boy it seemed she was bound to meet.

"Yeah?" Cat stood shyly beside the girl's chair, her hands clasped together in front of her.

"What do you mean, 'yeah'? Sit down." The girl looked annoyed, and Cat felt confused. Was she mad at her? The girl spoke again, "I'm Jade West. You're going to hang out with me. Got it? Good."

Cat suddenly beamed at Jade, throwing her arms around the unsuspecting goth's neck, "Yay! My first friend here in Hollywood!"

Jade promptly pushed her off, "Ugh. Public displays of affection are so gross."

* * *

The day rolled by quickly for Cat Valentine, seeing as she had every class with her new best friend Jade West, with Beck Oliver either in the class next door or across the hall every period. Yet, the two of them had yet to meet.

And, now it was time for lunch.

"Where are we sitting Jadey?" Cat giggled, following the goth from fourth period to the lunch room, and then out the back door to the outdoor tables.

"With people." Jade muttered, but glanced back occasionally to make sure Cat was still with her.

"Okay. I like people." Cat beamed once again, her long, brown ponytail bobbing up and down behind her.

"Meet Tori, Robbie, and Trina." Jade announced, plopping down onto one side of the bench with a bored expression, "I don't like them much, but they're fun as hell to mess with."

"Hi!" Cat greeted them excitedly, "I'm Cat!"

On the other side of the patio sat Beck Oliver, surrounded by a group of tough looking guys; Andre Harris, Moose Davis, Preston Tyler, and David Levetski. He stared around the table with a glare, "None of you are causing trouble today at school, are you?"

"No, ba-ws." David drawled out his reply, answering for all of them. They all knew that education was the one thing non-gang related Beck Oliver took seriously, and so along with that they knew the price they'd pay if they messed it up for him.

"Hear about the new chief of police?" Preston spoke up, flipping long, brown hair out of his eyes with a twist of his neck.

Beck stared in interest, and shook his head, "No. I didn't."

"A Mister Joe Valentine," Preston supplied, sticking a fry into his mouth and wishing it was a cigar instead, "Married, two kids. Hear he's got a smokin' hot daughter our age."

Andre punched him in the shoulder lightly, "Aw, come on man. You know we don't mess around with girls. They're nothin' but trouble, especially police officer's girls."

Beck stared intently at the pair, "Andre's right. And, it sounds like we have an old man to rough up. Got to let him know whose boss 'round here."

Preston, Andre, Moose and David grew excited at the sound of this, because if there was something they were good at, it had to be beating somebody senseless. Beck sighed, "Calm down! We gotta go about this careful like. No slipping up or we could be in big trouble."

"We're always in trouble." Moose snickered, earning a sharp punch in the mouth from Beck. He sat back, shocked, with a hand to his mouth.

Beck glared angrily down at him, "You think it'd be funny to be locked up in jail?"

"No, boss." Moose spoke clearly, but felt like whispering. He knew if he did, though, he'd earn another punch. And, his nose had just healed last week.

"Good." Beck appeared satisfied now, and sat back down, "Now, although we aren't to go around screwing girls, we've got to meet Valentine's daughter. She might give us a clue as to what her dad is like. But, leave that to me."

And, back across the cafeteria, Cat was listening with intense focus as her newfound, non-violent friends filled her in on who to talk to, whose a virgin, whose not, who does drugs, whose dangerous, and whose weird.

"Absolutely do _not_ speak to Beck Oliver." Jade glared daggers at her through wide eyes when she said this, and Cat felt that this person alone was very important not to talk to.

"Why not, Jadey?" Cat whispered, glancing over her shoulder left and then right.

"He's bad news." Jade replied, not saying much else about it.

"He's in a gang." Tori supplied, furrowing her eyebrows and looking around, as if in search of him. "Well, he _leads _a gang."

"He thinks he owns all of Hollywood." Robbie muttered in disgust.

"He's hot!" Trina exclaimed, staring excitedly around the table.

Jade glared in disgust at Trina, "Don't listen to her, okay? Just stay away from Beck Oliver. He's bad news."

"Okay! I trust you." Cat beamed at her friend, and then resumed drinking her milkshake.

But, remember that fate has a funny way of crossing two completely opposite paths, and that fate doesn't care what warnings friends give or if people disapprove.

"Listen, meet me at the back table in fifth period. We'll be back at Sikowitz's class." Jade instructed her friend, and then took off, leaving Cat all alone.

And, across the cafeteria Beck Oliver, (coincidentally?), was left all alone, as well. The crowd of the outdoor lunch group surged into an impatient mob, and Cat realized she'd most likely end up being the last one to get inside. A small, all-alone girl doesn't have much of a chance against two hundred pushy, impatient people. So, it's a good thing she was patient. And, shy.

Eventually, she _was _at the back of the crowd, but her arms weren't crossed over her chest in annoyance. No, instead, she was swinging her arms and singing softly to herself, with a certain tall, dark haired boy right behind her. _He_ wasn't patient, and he was in no mood to wait. He needed to find Cat Valentine and scope her out, and in his rush, he accidentally knocked her over.

Now, Beck Oliver may be a brutal, harsh, drug-addict, battle hungry gang member, but one rule he had set for himself was that he would_ never_ hurt a woman. After witnessing his mother beaten multiple times when he was a child, he had raised himself to be nothing like his father. And the fact that he had accidentally knocked over a tiny girl made his stomach drop.

She stared up at him with wide eyes, trying to ignore her bleeding palms and soon-to-be-bruised-knee, and blinked back tears. He stared back, and then immediately knelt down and gently grabbed her wrist, pulling her to her feet.

"Are you okay?" His voice was gruff, yet apologetic.

She hid her hands behind her back, not wanting to seem a crybaby, "I'm fine! It was an accident, honest."

And with that the pair went their temporary separate ways, unaware that their simple exchange had just crossed a boundary line that was never meant to be crossed, and that fate was grinning widely now. Their paths had finally crossed, and fate had decided that they should stay that way.

How was he to know that he had just bumped into Cat Valentine in an effort to find Cat Valentine?

And, how was she to know that she had just talked to Beck Oliver in an effort to avoid Beck Oliver?


	2. Chapter 2

The Slow Path

Chapter Two

Wow, guys! Thank you so much for liking this story! I was really excited about the idea, and four reviews, four follows, and two favorites for just one chapter make me absolutely _stoked_ to continue. You're all the best. :).

* * *

It was really dark, when it happened. Cat had always been scared of the dark, so she slept with seven night lights in her bedroom. And sometimes, if she had a particularly bad day, or something had scared her, she'd sleep under her bed with a flashlight as a teddy bear. The dark was possibly the only thing she was afraid of. She had never been scared that something or somebody might be hiding in her closet, because she kept night lights in there too.

Her logic was that monsters are scared of the light, like she is of the dark.

A few streets up atop a high school building Beck lied in complete darkness, save the stars. He stared at them intently with his head lolled back on his wrists which he had placed behind his head, and he wondered what it'd be like if all of a sudden the stars went out.

He knew he wouldn't be scared, of course. Beck Oliver didn't _get_ scared. Ever. It was like he couldn't.

But he wondered if maybe there was somebody out there who would be scared if all the stars went out, unaware that a certain girl a few streets down often wondered the same thing, and so had immediately stuck glow in the dark stars all over her ceiling before even unpacking her room.

Just in case.

Anyways, it was really dark when it happened. Back at the Valentine residence. Cat had decided that today was good, and that she should sleep on her bed and not underneath it. But, she couldn't help but burst into tears and scramble underneath it when the window by her closet suddenly shattered, and she swore she saw a dark face peeking in.

"I'm under my bed," She told herself, crying profusely, "I'm under my bed."

And then she heard a few curse words outside of her bedroom window, and what she thought sounded like, "Wrong room. Beck's gonna be angry." And after that, "That's why we don't tell him."

Everything was silent for a long while, and then down the hall where her mother and father shared a bedroom she heard the unmistakable shatter of their cherished bay window, and a shout from her father. And then heavy footsteps down the hall, and the open and close of a door.

Her door was opened next, and her mother gasped at the sight of Cat's shattered window, but she wasn't worried that her daughter was gone from her bed. She instead knelt down and peered underneath it, her eyes big and shiny with concern, "Kitten, it's okay. Your dad took care of it. Just some nasty boys."

"Okay." Cat breathed out, and then breathed back in, but gave her mother no other reply. She instead gave all her attention to the metal bars underneath her bed that held her mattress up, tracing a small hand over the smooth, cold surface.

And, a few streets up, Beck Oliver sat up and glowered at the four boys in front of him, "You went and tried to break into the Valentine's house? Without my permission?" He was livid, and shot up from his spot, his fingers itching to pull the gun from his pocket.

"Just to ruffle the old cop up!" Andre defended him and his accomplices, knowing if anybody could speak reason to him right now it'd be him.

* * *

Cat Valentine was very quiet at school the following day, and instead of her usual cheery-color sundress and heels, she had worn a pair of dark jeggings with navy blue flats and a matching, plain, long sleeved t-shirt. Her normal updo of a bouncy ponytail had been taken down and her long, brown hair instead curled around her shoulders. She was on her way to her first class of the day, but so was Beck Oliver.

And this time, they were bound to meet up a lot more than once. Starting right now.

"Oh!" She let out a yelp as her books fell to the floor, and her eyes brimmed with tears as she knelt to pick them up. She looked up from beneath long, thick lashes to see the same boy she had bumped into yesterday on the floor helping her pick up her books, and for a moment their eyes locked. They both quickly sucked in a short breath and looked away, and she stood up first, wiping away tears.

"Did I hurt you?" He almost-groaned, still holding the majority of her books.

She realized she was still crying, and gasped, "Oh! No! I'm... I'm fine, I'm just having a really bad day."

"Because I accidentally knocked you over?" He winced, and dark, thick eyebrows furrowed together above chocolate brown eyes.

"No, no, no!" She exclaimed, "It's not your fault. I just... Somebody broke into my house last night... And they broke my window, and somebody looked inside my room. It scared me to death."

His eyes widened in some emotion she couldn't read, "What's your name?"

"I'm Cat." She confirmed, her eyes flickering towards her classroom, where she really felt like running off to, "Cat Valentine."

His breath seemed to hitch in his throat, and he quickly handed her her books and stormed away, leaving a confused girl in the middle of the hallway.

Meanwhile, a furious Beck Oliver had just landed his fist in Preston's face, knocking him back against the water fountain, "Do you realize what you've done?"

"What do you mean?" Preston groaned, sunken back against cold metal.

"You didn't think it'd be wise to mention to me you busted _Cat Valentine's _window and then looked inside? Do you not fucking remember our rule to never harm or threaten a woman?" Beck was seething, his fists clenched tightly in excitement for another round at Preston Jone's face.

"How do you even know about it?" Preston exclaimed, betting that it was Andre who had confessed.

"Well, gee, I don't know, How about she's at school right now _crying about it." _He was to the point that he was seeing red. Along with his rule to never harm a woman, it drove him off the edge to see one cry. And to be the cause of it?...

After giving one last kick to Preston's side, Beck stormed off, late to his first class.

Cat Valentine had decided she needed to pee, before she went to class, and it just so happened that she was walking into class at the same moment as Beck Oliver, except this time they noticed each other. It was only just a small glance they shared, but how could they _not_ look at each other?

This was Beck Oliver, the boy whose bumped into her twice and she doesn't even know his name.

Oh! And this, this was Cat Valentine! Chief of Police's daughter and the only girl he'd ever knocked down.

Cat waved shyly, as Beck turned his gaze to his feet, and they both entered their respective classrooms, unaware of the big change that was occurring. But, you can't blame either of them. How were they to know that Fate loves new toys?

The small brunette immediately went to the back of the room where her friend, Jade West, sat down beside her. But, instead of talking as usual, she simply dropped her head onto the table and let out a sigh, her "I'm Sad ask me Why" button adorned on her left chest. She scooted and twisted around a little so that Jade could see it.

Jade shook her head in slight amusement at the girl's antics, but leaned down anyways so that she was eye to eye with her, "Why are you sad?"

Cat immediately cheered up for a moment, throwing her arms around Jade's neck and smiling brightly, "You noticed! You're the best friend ever!" But then she laid her head back down again, resuming her puppy-like pouty face, "But, it's cause somebody broke into my window last night and looked inside at me and it scared me to death oh my gosh."

Jade arched an eyebrow, "Do you always talk that fast?"

Cat took the bait, sitting up and looking puzzled, "How fast? I can probably talk faster..."

"Never mind. Listen, there's a party this Friday night, and I'm going to pick you up and you're going to go with me." Jade told her confidently, not feeling the need at all to _ask_ Cat.

"Jade..." Cat looked around awkwardly, "I like guys... It'd be leading you on if I went on a date with you."

Jade's eyes bugged wide, "No! Not like that. Just as friends, because everybody at school will be there, and you need to meet more people."

"Okay, but only if my dad says it's okay. I'll ask when I get home." Cat chirped, pulling a piece of paper and a pencil from her bag to draw a bunny.

* * *

Lunch passed by rather quickly with still no incidents between Cat and Beck, but fifth period was next and there had been word of some students being switched and traded around by the teachers, and I'm sure you know what that means.

Sikowitz had never had a seating chart, so the kids were always free to sit where they pleased, and maybe Cat just didn't realize what she was getting herself into when she sat down right beside Beck Oliver. Neither of the two were paying attention, that is, until the bell rang and the first thing they saw once sitting down was: each other.

Now, Cat still didn't realize who he was, or that she was disobeying her friend's very simple rule: Don't talk to Beck Oliver. But how was she to know his name? He was just the boy that always bumped into her. Except for, Cat had never done anything bad in her life. She's never done drugs, never snuck out of the house, never even cheated on a test. Something inside her told her that this boy was very, very bad news.

And maybe, she liked that. Maybe she wanted to try something bad for once. Or maybe she just thought it was all the food she had eaten last night.

Whatever the reason, she was ignoring that feeling. He stared at her through widened eyes that he thought he had narrowed, and opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

She giggled slightly at this, and offered him a piece of candy from her bra. He declined, for some reason embarrassed to mention to her he was allergic to peanuts and that the candy from her bra looked a lot like a rescee cup. And after that, he didn't try to start any conversations with her. Quick, I-wish-this-looked-more-casual glances were shared between the two throughout the period, neither understanding their strange bond.

But, just like Cat's feeling that he was bad, he had a feeling that she was very, very good. Pure. And there was part of him, a selfish part, drawn to that, that wanted to get to know her and maybe even fall in love with her. But, the more dominant side in him, the logical side, warned him to stay away. 'Don't ruin this girl.' It chanted, 'She's too good.'

Yet, despite the red flags shooting up all over their minds, neither person moved, and neither of the two could stop the fevered glances toward the other.


	3. Chapter 3

Slow Path

Chapter three

A/N: I'm absolutely blown away by all the excitement and support I'm getting for this story. Thank you guys, so so much. And, yes, Cat and Beck's relationship _will_ grow stronger than just glances and bump-ins, but my last intention is to rush things. It wouldn't be a good story if I did.

* * *

After getting approval from her dad, Cat Valentine had immediately gone over to Jade's house to get ready for the party tonight with her, Jade claiming she had a surprise for the small girl. And, Cat really loved surprises. She now sat on the floor beside Jade's bed, her eyes closed tightly as she nibbled on the bag of bibble she had brought with her. She had initially offered to share with Jade, but Jade said no. And, not in a very polite way, either.

"Cat, why are your eyes closed?" Jade asked in annoyance, looking through her closet for something to wear.

"Your room is dark." Cat answered promptly, and Jade let out a sigh, flipping on an extra light switch. Cat opened her eyes with a satisfied smile, "That's better. You really should get some night lights, Jadey."

Jade had spun around to spout off some snappy response about how childish that is, but her red curtains behind Cat had caught her eye, and an idea was growing inside of her, "Hey, Cat. You'd look really good with red hair."

Cat pulled a lock of hair between her fingers and gasped, "I love red! It's like pink, but darker!"

Meanwhile, just one street over, Beck Oliver himself was getting ready for the party. Andre and the others had begged him endlessly, and he had finally relented, possibly as an apology for his angrier-than-usual-attitude lately. He ran a hand through his dark, messy hair and flashed a grin at his mirror, satisfied with what he saw. He wondered briefly to himself if Cat Valentine would be there, but then quickly shook that idea from his head.

It was none of his business anyways if she was.

"I'm only going for the food." David Levetski claimed from where he was sprawled out across the couch in Andre's grandma's basement.

"I'm with you on that one." Moose grinned, knocking his fist against David's and mimicking an explosion sound.

"I wonder if the sheriff's daughter gonna be there." Andre wondered aloud, catching Beck's attention.

Cat now stood in front of the full body mirror in Jade West's bathroom, her eyes widened dramatically. In her opinion, she looked like a completely different person, and possibly even felt like a different one. Her normally brunette hair was now a cherry red color, and Jade had quickly said no to her outfit choice of bright pink short shorts and a white sweater. Instead she wore a tight, form fitting white dress that stopped much too far above her knees. It had just one long sleeve, and the other side was strapless.

"Jadey, I don't know about this." Her voice came out as a squeak, she had never felt more exposed in her life.

"You look great." Jade laughed, twirling the small girl around, "You'll be fine. I promise. Nobody will be able to get enough of you."

"My dad would hate this outfit." She looked terrified now, and tugged at the bottom of the dress in an attempt to make it longer.

"Well, your dad's not here, is he?" Jade smirked, and grabbed Cat's wrist, pulling her to the door, "C'mon, kiddo. The party starts in two minutes."

Both Cat and Beck arrived at the same time, except through different doors; Cat through the front door and Beck through the side, and immediately they were both on alert, watching and looking for the other, you might even say _hoping. _Even though that's the last thing they should have been doing.

"I'm going to get a drink," Beck announced nonchalantly to his friends, and slipped away towards the punch bowl where beers and various other alcohols had instead been stocked, his eyes flickering left and right for a sign of Cat Valentine. He felt rather ridiculous, there was no reason why he should be so concerned about whether or not she was here.

Cat had arrived at the drinks at the same time as him, and looked up at him with both surprise and excitement, forgetting that she was parched. He caught her eyes at the same time, and immediately straightened up with a beer in his hand, not knowing if he should say something to her or not. He settled for, "Do you drink?"

Her eyes flickered towards the beer he held in his hand, and for a moment she froze. Cat had never drank anything in her life besides juice, water, milk and the occasional soda. Her father told her that alcohol is bad. And, Cat doesn't do bad, right? That'd be so wrong... But, maybe just for tonight... Her eyes traveled down her dress and she knew she was already doing something she shouldn't, so she reached into the cooler and grabbed a beer, smiling cheerfully at him, "Yeah, who doesn't?"

Beck knew she was lying, this girl had never drunk a beer in her entire life, but who would he be to call her out on it? "Cool."

And with that, they exchanged small smiles and popped the lids off of their drinks, raising them to their respective lips and taking a long drink. To Beck, it was familiar and nice, something he was both used to and had missed. Cat, on the other hand, fought fiercely to ignore the burn it left and keep it down, finally finishing the first gulp and bringing the bottle to her side.

"See?" She suddenly exclaimed, wanting so badly to convince him she _does_ drink, "I drink."

"I see." He commented, arching an eyebrow at her and wondering if she was okay.

"I still don't know your name." Cat suddenly remembered this, and looked at him expectantly, "Right now, you're just, 'guy-who-always-bumps-into-me', by the way, I'm impressed you haven't yet."

He had to chuckle at that, "Beck Oliver."

Cat knew at this point that she should run away, and probably never talk to this guy again. Her friends' warnings were fresh in her memory about him, and even if she had forgotten, the influence he had on her alone should have been enough to send her running. And, had she not gone far enough already with her hair and her dress and the fact that she was holding a beer, maybe she would've.

But, instead, she grinned even wider, "Cool."

* * *

About an hour later, Cat sat on the back patio with her feet dangling in the pool and her heels beside her, her now half-empty beer resting between her knees. Beck Oliver sat beside her, on his third beer, the wind ruffling his already messy, dark hair.

"I don't drink," She admitted, taking another tiny sip of her beer. She wanted more than anything to throw it away and get some punch instead, but her father had taught her to never waste, and she felt that she had disobeyed plenty of rules tonight already, "This is the first beer I've ever had and it tastes awful."

"Then why are you still drinking it?" He stared at her quizzically, trying to remember how he had even convinced himself to hang out with her, because he knew he shouldn't be. They lived completely different lives.

"I don't want to waste." She giggled, as if it was obvious, and wiggled her toes in the water.

"You're such a goody two shoes." He let out a sigh that blew his bangs up a little, and stared at the ripples created by her toes.

"No I'm not." She argued, "I'm hanging out with you, aren't I?"

His eyebrows furrowed together at that remark, and he thought about further arguing with the girl, but decided against it, "I'm surprised you're even at a party like _this, _dressed like _that_." He had tried his hardest not to notice her tiny, white dress and long, tan legs, because they only frustrated him. He was Beck Oliver. He had quit noticing things like that a few years ago. Dating never ended well, and girls were trouble.

"My friend." She replied, wiggling her toes once again, resembling a child who had just realized they knew how to splash around water. Her eyes flickered to Beck, and she wondered if _he _was her friend. It seemed to her that he felt guilty even talking to her, but, so did she. But, just because they _shouldn't _be friends doesn't mean they aren't, right?

"Whose your friend?" He wondered aloud, wanting to smack his hand over his mouth before he asked her any other questions. There was absolutely no reason for him to be so curious about her. Maybe, when he went to get his next beer, he just wouldn't come back to her. Like he had done twice already.

"Jadey." Cat chirped, beaming at the mention of her best friend.

"West?" He was surprised. He knew Jade West, and Cat Valentine was the last person he'd ever see her hanging out with. The two were like fire and ice; cold and hot. Cat was good and Jade had a past.

"What?" Cat looked at him, her lips pursed and her eyebrows furrowed.

"You two are nothing alike." Beck laughed softly, looking away quickly from her angry face, in fear of finding it cute.

"Neither are we, but here we are." She reminded him, so softly he wasn't sure if he had heard her correctly.

His face flushed, and he hurried to push away their sudden bond, "Doesn't mean we're friends, or anything."

"Well then, I guess I wasted my time sitting here with you." She huffed, and stood up, replacing her heels with her half empty beer bottle and stormed away.

Beck felt a pang of sadness hit him at her leave, and he tried to push it away, telling himself that it was good she was leaving. She was much too good to be hanging out or even talking to him, he was sure of that much. It was for the best that he had hurt her feelings.

Cat had always been sensitive, and so she was having trouble keeping herself from crying at his words, and the fact that he had just watched her get up without even apologizing. But, she told herself they shouldn't have even spent time together anyways. They were too different, and there was something dangerous about him. She really, _really _liked that, though.

Jade let out a sigh of relief when she caught sight of the tiny girl, and crossed her arms over her chest, "Where in the world have you been, Cat? I couldn't find you."

"Sorry, Jadey." Cat smiled at her best friend, and hugged her tightly, earning a groan from the goth, "I met somebody."

"Somebody?" Jade arched an eyebrow, wanting to know more.

Instead, Cat had already took off again, heading towards the drinks to get punch this time, intent on keeping Beck Oliver her own little secret.

And in the backyard, Andre and Moose had finally found Beck, immediately bombarding him with questions, getting answers for none of them.


	4. Chapter 4

Slow Path

Chapter four

A/N: Thank you all so much for all the favorites, follows, and reviews. It's so weird that we're already on chapter four.

Hey, guys, I had this cool idea for this story, and this is the first chapter I'm trying it on. You know how on a movie a huge part of it being a hit is the music during the scenes? Well, music really inspires me whenever I'm writing, and I always listen to certain songs when writing a chapter. So, I decided it might be cool to insert the lyrics between every few lines, to kind of go along with the chapter. The lyrics are in italics. Lemme know if you guys like it, and want me to continue doing this.

* * *

"You're grounded."

Those two words rang in Cat Valentine's ears repeatedly, preventing her from changing the rather upsetting frown that now seemed a permanent resident on her face. She had suspected her father might be angry about her hair, yes. But, getting _grounded_ for it? This was new to her. Cat had never been grounded in her life. Until now. Her phone, laptop, and camera had been taken away, and she felt that all she was left with was school and her stuffed giraffe. At the thought of school, she wondered briefly if her father would ground her from Beck, if he could. But, he wouldn't find out about Beck. Because, he was her very first secret, and her's alone to keep.

Cat was at school five minutes before school even started that Monday, her father had dropped her off. It made her upset that he all of a sudden had no trust in her, where would she go anyways before school? Jade's house? No. Jade didn't seem like a morning person the day after the party. In fact, she had thrown a pair of scissors at Cat's head as soon as Cat made a sound, making her very glad she was quick.

_Put your lips close to mine, as long as they don't touch. _

_Out of focus, eye to eye, till the gravity's too much. _

Being five minutes early and all, Cat had a lot of time to think about things, including trying to guess whether or not Beck Oliver was a morning person or not. Probably not.

Meanwhile, atop the school building, fiery red hair had caught the eyes of five boys. Beck glanced anxiously between his friends and Cat Valentine, hoping more than anything they wouldn't try something stupid with her. There was something about her he couldn't quite understand, and that was the strange pull they had towards one another. Why was it that wherever he turned, she was there? And where did she get the nerve to just try and make friends with him? Beck Oliver didn't consider himself lovable. No, he was formidable.

To everybody except for Cat Valentine, apparently.

And, didn't that just drive him _mad. _She, of all people, should be the most scared. She was the tiniest sixteen year old he had ever seen. Even her voice sounded small. He could probably crush her with one twist of his hand, except for, he wouldn't. He never would. It wasn't just the fact that he'd never be able to harm a girl, it was something about _her._

"She looks hot with red hair." David grinned, nodding slightly and continuing to eye her. Beck couldn't help but give his friend a glare and clench his fists, furious at the thought of David hitting on her or touching her, at all.

_And I'll do anything you say, if you say it with your hands. _

_And I'd be smart to walk away, but you're quick sand. _

Andre noticed this and chuckled slightly to himself, he had never seen Beck grow angry about anybody else liking a girl. And, he had seen him sitting by the pool with the girl during the party, although he'd never tell Beck that. Just like Beck would never admit to it.

"I'm going to head to school." Beck muttered loudly, storming away, ignoring the boys' taunts about how there was still two minutes till school even started. Although they were his best friends, or maybe rambunctious brothers, he had had enough of them this morning already.

Cat visibly brightened after turning around and spotting a certain dark haired boy leaning against the front doors of the school. She skipped towards him merrily, "You could have said hello. It's not very hard. How long have you been standing there?"

"Hello." He replied bluntly, his eyes closed. She might have thought he was standing up and sleeping at the same time, had he not just spoken and crossed his arms over his chest.

_This slope is treacherous, This path is reckless. _

_This slope is treacherous, And I I I, like it._

"The party was fun." She attempted to make small talk, and leaned against the wall beside him, staring up at him intently.

"I was a jerk to you. How do you find that fun?" He snorted, opening one eye to peek at her.

She opened her mouth to reply, but the bell rang, cutting her off. A sigh escaped his lips and he hurried into the school to get away from her. It wasn't that he wanted to, but that he _should. _Something she obviously felt too, yet chose to ignore so far.

"Hey!" She yelped, making him jump, "Wait up! Our classrooms are right next to each other, we can walk together."

"No." He sighed again, continuing to walk fast.

_I can't decide if it's a choice, getting swept away._

_I hear the sound of my own voice, asking you to stay._

She trailed behind him, looking much like a lost puppy, and frowned sadly, "Okay. I just thought since you're alone, and I don't have anybody to walk with..."

He told himself not to look back at her, he swore he did. He knew that he shouldn't, but he did. It was just one quick glance, he thought, what could it hurt? But, one look at her crestfallen face had him mentally swearing at himself and the fact that he had stopped for her to catch up.

Cat was beaming at him now, reminding him of a little cartoon child, "Thanks for waiting for me."

Beck didn't say anything, but Cat was content with him walking slowly beside her and listening to all the stories she had about her brother, and animals, and how silly she thought her best friend Jade West and politics were.

_And all we are is skin and bone, trained to get along. _

_Forever going with the flow, but you're friction._

People all around stared at the odd pair, probably wondering if it was some kind of joke. Beck Oliver, gang member, druggie, all around mean and violent dude and Jade West's ex-boyfriend, walking and talking, (listening), with Cat Valentine, sheriff's daughter, sweet, tiny, candy loving and Jade West's new best friend. Beck ignored their stares and the gossip that was sure to start, and Cat tried not to notice it.

* * *

Cat was bouncing in her seat at lunch that day, eager to get to fifth period so she could talk to Beck Oliver again. She really, honestly knew she shouldn't. He was dangerous, that much was clear to her. But, something about him was so interesting to her. And she had never done anything bad in her life, (besides her hair which her dad was veryveryvery mad about), and maybe Beck could change that.

But, did she want to change that?

"So, word is you were walking with Beck Oliver this morning." Jade leaned in close to the small girl, an odd expression on her face.

_This slope is treacherous, This path is reckless. _

_This slope is treacherous, I I I like it. _

Cat felt panicked, something about this didn't feel right, so she did something she had only done once before, "Yeah, for some reason he wanted to know about my dad's job as a cop and I was like, well he has a gun and likes dougnuts, and he was like, That's not what I meant, and I was like well I don't know anything else."

Jade seemed to buy it, but continued to study Cat for a moment, her eyebrows furrowed, "Oh."

"Do you want to come over to my house this weekend?" Cat chirped enthusiastically, desperate to change the subject, "Thursday is the last day I'm grounded."

The goth smiled slightly, "Sure, but you owe me, Valentine."

"Okie dokie, Jadey." Cat smiled falsely, her attention flickering around the cafeteria in search of _him._

_Two headlights shine through the sleepless night, _

_And I will get you get you alone._

After lunch, Cat had attempted to wait for Beck, telling Jade she wasn't finished with her juice box. But, after two minutes, she gave up and hurried to fifth period, glad that at least the crowd had subsided quite a bit. Once she reached Sikowitz's class, she brightened immensely, dropping down into a seat beside Beck and poking him in the arm.

"Hi, Beck!" She greeted him cheerfully, tilting her head to the side.

He glanced towards her, guilt sweeping through him that he was letting her continue with this,"Hi."

"I waited for you." She stated, her gaze turning to her feet, "After lunch. But, you weren't there."

"Oh." He didn't really know what else to say. Sorry, might sound too friendly, and he knew she was too good to be friends with him. But, nobody had ever really waited for him before.

_Your name has echoed through my mind, _

_and I just think you should, think you should know._

"Class." Sikowitz was beaming at the front of the room, "I have exciting news." When nobody spoke, or showed any sign of having even listened to him, he continued with a sigh, "Boring. Anywhale, there will be a huge play coming up, and since you're my drama class, you're all signed up for a part. It's mandatory. The play follows an exciting tale of forbidden love and dangerous foes, and the leading roles will be played by Beck Oliver and Cat Valentine."

All eyes were on the pair for a moment, and then Sikowitz gave up, plopping onto the stairs and drinking from his coconut, the class resuming their loud chatter and conversations about the newest episodes of different TV shows and who had sex with who.

"I'm terrible at acting." Cat had sunk into the seat of her chair, her cheeks flushed, "I'm going to look so bad up there! In front of the school!"

Beck tried to ignore her, because he didn't want to feel bad for the girl, that would mean they'd be closer to being friends. But at the sound of a small sniffle coming from her, he had stiffened up, hoping on everything she wasn't crying. One glance her way proved she was, and his tough guy act immediately melted.

"Hey, I'm sure it'll be okay." He had turned around to face her, not sure whether he should pat her shoulder or something, his stomach churning at the sight of tears streaming down her face.

_That nothing safe is worth the drive, And I will follow you, _

_Follow you home. Follow you, follow you home._

"No it won't!" She exclaimed, burying her face in her hands, "I'll forget all the lines. I'm a ditz. Everybody knows that."

"I'll help you." He blurted, and then wished he hadn't. Beck Oliver had enough trouble avoiding her in school, and now he was volunteering his time with her outside of it?

"Really?" Her face lit up, and the next thing he knew her arms were tight around his neck, "Oh, Beck, thank you thank you so much."

_This hope is treacherous, __this day dream is dangerous. _

_This hope is treacherous, I I I, I I I, I I I,_

With a long, drawn out sigh, Beck gently hugged her back, fearing he might break her. The smart thing to do right now would be to cancel with her immediately. Right now, even. Say he didn't mean it. Push her away. But when she looked up at him with big, shiny eyes and a hopeful smile, he knew he couldn't.

"Great." She was beaming non stop now, "You can come over Friday night after school, and then maybe again Saturday night!"

_This slope is treacherous, I I I like it. _


	5. Chapter 5

Slow Path

Chapter five.

A/N: Guys, I am so so so sorry for not updating for so long. From now on, since I'm back in school from winter's break, expect an update once or twice a week. I can't do one every single day with how busy school keeps me. I can't believe I'll be in my first year of high school this August! :) So, my little sister's birthday is this Monday, and she had wanted a ferrett. I adore animals and went to the pet store with her, (My puppy is at home with my dad and I missed him dearly), and I think I fell in love. With a baby dwarf rabbit whom I named Pond. Guess what I'm asking for from my mom next month for my birthday...? (;

* * *

Cat Valentine sat on the very last step of the miniature stairway on her porch, anxiously waiting for the arrival of a certain tall, dark haired boy named Beck Oliver. Her hair had been pulled back with a silky, white headband adorned with a much-too-big bow, and a flimsy white band, into a high pony tail. Mister Valentine had raised an eyebrow at her outfit choice of short, white denim shorts and a much-too-big pink sweater.

"My last name is Valentine," She had explained, giggling as if this was obvious, "So I like dressing as a Valentine!" Obviously, she didn't realize he was used to the colors, but not the length of the shorts.

Beck had promised her, (with much reluctance), that he'd be at her house Friday night by five. And now she sat on her porch, awaiting his arrival, hoping he wouldn't blow her off. She knew how that felt all too well.

Meanwhile, in a very different situation (as usual), Beck sat atop the school rooftop. All week he had convinced himself not to go to Cat's house. To just blow her off. (It'd be easy, right?) But then after seeing her today so excited and peppy about his visit to her house tonight, he had been having second thoughts. Maybe, he could just pop in for a few minutes.

What harm would that cause? Okay, so it'd probably cause a lot. But, not as much as staying would.

And it wasn't like he would easily be able to come up with a plausible reason for completely blowing her off. Who would back him up? There was no way in the world he would allow his friends to even step foot near the tiny girl. And he didn't exactly have parents around to confirm his plans.

But, what if, (his stomach churned at this), he wouldn't need proof? What if she would just believe him?

It'd been a long time since anybody had believed in Beck Oliver. He couldn't remember if it felt nice or not, and in all honesty, he was scared of her believing in him. So he accepted his cold feet and made up the mind to just not go and see her.

And back at the Valentine residence Cat crinkled her nose at the sudden sparkle of a raindrop in the corner of her eye. She hoped Beck wouldn't be getting wet on his way to her house, she feared he might smell like a wet dog and then her parents would be upset and not want him to stay for dinner.

Her eyes flickered to her phone and saw that the time read four fifty five. And, he still wasn't here.

But, that's okay. There's still five minutes until five and he promised he would be here. Cat didn't know much about the guy, but she knew he wouldn't stand her up, and she clung to that belief.

Back at the school, Beck had slouched back against the wall, crossing his arms over his face and ignoring that it was five o clock now and Cat was probably hoping he'd be arriving any minute. It was strange to him the way he couldn't explain how he felt about the tiny girl. He had felt lust towards many girls, and had stood equally as many up.

But, he knew it wasn't lust he felt for Cat Valentine. And standing her up even kind of hurt just a tiny bit, maybe.

"Cat, sweetie." Cat's mother, Joan, had just stepped outside and looked at her daughter with concern, "It's pouring down rain. Why are you still sitting out here?"

"It's only seven minutes past five, Mom." Cat pleaded, sniffling and trying not to cry, "Beck is coming over. He'll be here any minute. I need to wait for him."

"You've been out here since four fifteen, sweetheart." Joan Valentine sighed, bending down beside the small girl, "Come inside. Maybe he'll show up later."

Cat immediately shrugged from her mother's touch and brought her knees up to her chest, "No, I need to wait out here. He'll be here in just a minute, I know it."

Joan, with a reluctant sigh, stood up and walked inside.

* * *

Beck Oliver ran a hand through his sopping wet hair in annoyance, glaring at his now soaked clothes that clung to his body, and thought once again of Cat. She was persistent, and stubborn, and he hoped on everything she wasn't waiting outside for him. A small smile graced his lips at the idea of her worrying that maybe he'd get lost if she didn't stand outside.

Cat _did _continue to wait outside, though. In the pouring rain. Her brother Frankie stared out the window at her frail, soaked form sitting out in the rain on the porch steps, focusing intently on the way she'd occasionally glance down the road and then back at her jeans, trailing a hand across her forehead to wipe away the water that continuously poured into her eyes.

At ten o clock, she ran inside and changed into dry clothes, falling asleep underneath her bed.

At ten o clock, Beck Oliver began to wish he had gone to see her.

* * *

The weekend passed slowly, full of two sad teenagers who had brought it on themselves, but finally Monday morning had arrived and so had they. At school. Beck Oliver hated apologizing. It drove him insane, and he felt weak when he did. He couldn't even remember the last time he had apologized to anybody. Yet here he was searching for Cat Valentine to apologize her.

Even though he felt that it might cause problems if he did.

A familiar flash of red in the corner of his eye had him scrambling towards the back hallway it had come from, earning surprised yelps from the people he shoved in his haste to reach the small girl. He finally caught sight of her standing at the water fountain taking a drink, and he stopped beside her, realizing he had no idea what to say.

Cat looked up at him in surprise, and then quickly looked away, hurrying away. His hand shot out and he gripped her wrist firmly, spinning her around slightly. For a moment he lost his focus as he took notice of the way his fingers alone completely wrapped around her tiny wrist, and then he was shaking his head and paying attention once again.

"Ow." She mumbled, her face pouty, even though it didn't actually hurt.

"Cat, listen, I'm sorry..." Beck began, stepping slightly close to her and staring at his feet.

Her nose crinkled up and she shook her head, "No you're not. You can't even look me in the eye when you say that, Beck Oliver."

"I'm not the best at apologies." He admitted, peeking up at her.

A few tears welled up in her eyes, and he tried not to lose it, "You sure are good at standing me up, though." As soon as he loosened his grip on her wrist, she pulled it free and dropped it at her side, using her other wrist to wipe her now water-logged eyes.

"I completely forgot, Cat... I'm sorry." Lying came easy to him, and he hoped she'd believe it.

Her hands were now crossed over her chest, "No, you didn't. I waited outside for six hours! I have a cold, now!"

"Why'd you wait for me?" He snapped, crossing his own arms, "That's stupid! You could've gotten sick!"

"I didn't want you to get lost!" She retorted, sniffling softly, "But that's stupid, right? Cause we aren't even friends, right?"

That remark shouldn't have gotten to him, but it did. He knew he shouldn't care about this girl, but he did. "Why wouldn't we be friends? Isn't that what this is?"

"You don't act like you want to be my friend." She frowned bitterly, "You're always running off and ignoring me or saying something mean. And then you stood me up."

"I'm not very good at being somebody's friend." Beck replied softly, running a hand through his hair.

Cat's eyebrows furrowed together at this, "What about all those boys you're always with? They're your friends, and you're probably nice to _them._"

Beck had to fight hard not to laugh at this remark, Andre, Preston, and David would never describe him as nice. Andre, maybe. But the other three? Not a chance. His lips curled up at the side, in a tiny smile, "We're more like brothers than friends."

"I don't want to be your sister, Beck." She replied flatly, "I want to be your friend. If you can't do that, then walk away right now, mister."

When he stayed put, she gave the slightest smile, and he smiled back, "So, what do I do if I want to be your friend?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Slow Path**

**Chapter six.**

**A/N: Is anybody still reading this story? I'm so sorry I didn't update for so long. I'm back, and staying, and I'm determined to give you the rest of a great story. **

"Well," Cat replied, "We could do something after school, today. Something really fun."

Beck thought about this for a long moment, and then let out a long, teasing, sigh, "Oookay. Fine."

"Really?" Her eyes lit up and she began to jump up and down, clinging tightly with both hands to one of his, "I didn't think you'd say yes!"

He ignored that, "Really. So, what are we going to do?"

"I thought you could decide," She beamed, subconsciously leaning towards him. "I mean, what do you usually do after school?"

Beck froze where he stood, flashes of memory lighting up like a firework display inside of his head. Chasing and then proceeding to beat up people with the rest of his gang, robbing gas stations, breaking into homes after waiting across the street for the owner of it to leave, and he shuddered. There was no way he could tell Cat any of this, and it became clear to him that he had no idea what they would do.

"How about..." He averted his eyes from her expectant face, "How about you decide. We can do anything you want."

"Anything at all?" She frowned, peering up at him from beneath long eyelashes. When he nodded, she put on a little smile, "Okay. Then as soon as school lets out, you're going to meet me right here, and we're going to get smoothies from this diner down the street. And then after that we're gonna go play at the park. Okay?"

If Beck Oliver had been thinking straight, he would've remembered that said diner is where his gang often goes when he is nowhere to be found. He would've remembered that the most important thing about his gang and Cat is that _they don't meet._ He would've remembered all of this if he had been thinking straight.

But, at the moment, he was far from thinking straight. He had nodded in agreement, and all of a sudden every bit of his resistance towards friendship and just _Cat,_ in general, had dissipated as she threw her arms around his neck in an excited hug, lifting herself off of the ground a little.

And, if Cat had been thinking straight, maybe she would've noticed Jade West turning the corner right towards them. But, she wasn't. She was too lost in Beck's arms, settling into peaceful oblivion.

"Cat?" Jade snapped, her eyes opening wide at the sight of her friend in her ex boyfriend's arms. Jade could feel her entire body growing hot with anger as she stormed towards the pair, wrenching them apart.

Cat blinked in confusion at Jade, but her attention flickered constantly back to Beck. Meanwhile, Beck's stomach had dropped, and he felt worried for the small girl across from him. "Jade."

"Oliver." Jade replied coolly, her eyes narrowed to slits as she glared at him.

"Cat!" Cat cried softly, not sure why the air had suddenly become so tense and hostile.

"Why were you hugging my ex-boyfriend?" Jade pinched at the bridge of her nose to keep from screaming at her, her entire body tensed up.

"_Ex._" Beck reminded her, "It's not your business."

"He's my friend!" Cat explained, and then realized what they had just said, "You two dated?!"

When neither replied, Beck reached out for Cat's hand, but then dropped his arm quickly, "I'll see you later, Cat."

"Okay." She nodded softly, staring at her feet, "Don't forget!"

* * *

Even though, for some reason, it already hurt her a lot that Beck and Jade had dated, Cat couldn't help but be insatiably curious about their past relationship. She longed to know how long they had dated, or what they did. Did Beck ever stand _Jade _up? Did Jade ever hug and want Beck the way _Cat _did? And why did they break up?

Do they miss each other? How come nobody told her all of this?

But Cat refrained from asking any of these questions, and whether it was because of how angry Jade looked, or how scared she was of the answers, she didn't know.

Lunch was awkward and quiet for the most part, except for the soft chatter between Robbie and Tori.

Finally, Robbie looked up at Cat and smiled, his eyes hopeful, "Hey, Cat. I'm having a party at my house tonight, and I was wondering if you'd come."

Cat frowned apologetically, "I'm sorry, Robbie. I can't. I..." Her eyes flickered towards the suddenly attentive Jade, and she finished her sentence quickly and softly, "I have plans."

"Oh." He nodded, feigning disinterest.

"Oh." Jade copied, sneeringly, returning to stabbing her steak with her fork.

"Did you make another friend?" Tori beamed, and Cat felt even smaller than usual under the hot glare coming from Jade.

"I-I," She stuttered, "Um, well, yes. He's my friend."

"_He's _just your _friend?" _Tori giggled, winking awkwardly at Cat, and she felt like the air around the small table was about to blow up.

"Beck Oliver is taking her somewhere after school." Jade snapped, her teeth bared, and she shot up from the table and stormed away, leaving a full tray of food.

Tori and Robbie's eyes were wide with emotions Cat couldn't place, and Cat tried her hardest not to cry again.

"You're going on a date with _Beck_?" Tori looked angrily jealous, but she tried not to show it. Instead, her face quickly took on a strange, pouty smile.

"It's not a date." Cat defended herself, and Beck, quickly. "He's my friend. We're just getting smoothies and going to the... Um, the movies." For some reason, she felt it wouldn't be a good idea to tell either of them exactly where they were going.

* * *

"Beck!"Cat called out excitedly as his familiar face popped around the corner, and she ran towards him as soon as she could see him entirely. He caught her in his arms easily, and he couldn't help the wide smile that spread across his face.

"Hey," He replied simply, and set her down before him, "How was your day?"

She ignored his question, feeling no desire at all to tell him about lunch, "Let's go! I'm hungry for smoothies!"

* * *

"What type of smoothie do you want?" Beck asked her softly once they had stepped inside the door, wanting her to sit down while he ordered.

"Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmm," She grinned childishly, "How about strawberry! I love strawberries. Oh, but I like mango, too..."

He waited for her to make up her mind, smiling down at her in affection, "So Mango, or strawberry?"

"How about you decide." She smiled back, and reluctantly released his hand, skipping towards their table.

After ordering and receiving their drinks, Beck hurried back to her, one mango smoothie and one strawberry smoothie in his arms. He couldn't decide which one to get for her, so he decided to order both. He would take whichever one she didn't want.

Cat reached eagerly for the strawberry one, and beamed at him, "You knew exactly what I wanted!"

He sat down across from her and popped a straw into both glasses, leaning his chin onto his elbows.

"I'm so glad we're friends, Beck." Cat sighed happily, pausing to sip from her straw, her lipgloss leaving a ring on the tip of her straw. She licked it off in annoyance, and then looked up to see Beck watching her with slightly flushed cheeks.

"O-Oh." He stuttered in embarrassment, "Um, sorry."

"It's okay," She murmured, half giggling. Her cheeks equally as flushed. "Beck..?"

"Yep?"

"Do you think... Nevermind!" Cat giggled half heartedly, and hurriedly stuck her straw back into her mouth.

"No, tell me." Beck paused, "You can ask me absolutely anything."

"No." Cat stuck out her tongue, and stared at the table, anywhere but Beck's face.

"Cat!" Beck laughed softly, "C'mon."

"Okay," She sighed, and peeked up at him, "Do you think... Do you think I'm pretty?"

Before he could answer, the bell above the front door rang, and they both glanced towards the newest customers. Beck felt his stomach drop, and in a flash, he was yanking Cat underneath the table beside him. Her smoothie toppled over with a slight thud, and as they crouched beneath the table, he focused on the dripping slush instead of the gum above them.

"What are we doing?" Cat whispered fearfully, her eyes on the group of boys who had just entered the diner.

"Shh!" He snapped, placing a large, calloused hand over her mouth, getting strawberry fizz lipgloss all over his palm.

Beck watched intently as his friends walked past their table and into the restroom, and he realized now was their chance to get out. With a start, Cat was yanked from beneath the table and dragged by a running Beck out the front door and around the building. Once they got to the back, he relaxed, and released his grip on her wrist.

She examined it with watery eyes, and he felt sick to his stomach at the sight of a large, finger shaped bruise forming on her upper arm.

"Did... Did I hurt you?" Beck's face was white with horror, and a million images of his mom examining her newest bruises in the mirror flashed in his mind.

"Why are we hiding?" Cat ignored him, and tried in vain to pull her sleeve over the bruise. "Aren't they your friends?"

"Yeah, but..." He couldn't think of any way to explain this to her.

"I'm sorry." Cat frowned, wiping at her eyes, tensing as if to walk away.

Beck reached for her hurriedly, pulling her towards him, "Hey, for what? You have nothing to apologize for!"

"You're embarrassed to be seen with me." She whispered, her voice barely audible, "Can I ask you a question?"

Beck was stunned beyond speech, so he simply nodded. How could she think he was embarrassed to be seen with her? She was the most beautiful girl in the world! And, the sweetest, too! She should be embarrassed by _him, _if anything!

"Did _Jade_ get to meet all your friends?" Her arms were crossed over her chest, but it was far from cold out.

"What?"

Cat remained silent, her eyes burning holes in her shoes.

"Cat Valentine, I am _far_ from embarrassed by you." Beck growled, pulling up her chin with one finger, "I'm embarrassed for you to meet _them_. Okay? Because, you're not like Jade. You're so much _better, _and I'd like to have a chance with you someday. So, there's no way in hell I'm going to let anything scare you away from me."

"I wouldn't leave," She whispered, breathlessly, all traces of sadness gone.

"You don't know that," He replied, pulling her to him so that her chin rested against his chest, and his hands were firm against her lower back.

She reached up so that her wrists connected loosely behind his neck, "Want me to prove it?"

Instead of replying, he placed his hands beneath her and gently shoved her up against the wall behind them, sighing softly when she wrapped her legs around his waist. His lips trailed kisses up her neck and along her jaw line, then moving up to pull her lower lip between his teeth, sucking softly on it.

"Mmm," Cat let out a tiny moan, her back arching towards him, all worries from the day fading into nothing.

"Don't leave me," He whispered, leaving her mouth and focusing his attention on her earlobes. His thumbs had begun to trace nonsense words and pictures into the skin that had been revealed with the slight shifting of her shirt.

"Never." She confirmed.


End file.
